Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Arkansas is $44,080/year ($21.19/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $50,297 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,021/month, about 34% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arkansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in Arkansas?
About multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Arkansas tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,021/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Arkansas
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $54K | +23% | 220 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $49K | +10% | 340 |
Compare to other states
Track multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 34.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,863/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Arkansas pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Arkansas?
The median is $44,080 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,050, and experienced multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $54,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,992/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 34.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $50,297 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.